Steve Austin Comments On How NXT Is Getting It Right

"I think it's basically the simplicity of the show. I mean, you've got these angles that are wrestling-based, announcers staying within the system. They're not talking about anything going on in pop culture. If you go back several months, Corey [Graves] made the comment that Bobby Roode had flown because he wanted to spend the least amount of time in Manhattan as possible. So just sticking within those parameters, the announcing I think is a little better on the NXT front right now. Just the action in the ring, it's a better look, it's dimmed down a little bit, it's not too dark – I thought Lucha Underground was too dark this year from a visual standpoint. I like the production values. I like their entrance music. I like what they're doing in the ring. Of course, they've got one of my favorite tag team in The Revival."

First Promo For 205 Live Cruiserweight Show

Backstage Fight Breaks Out in WWE Locker Room Overseas Between Repeat Offender & Veteran Superstar

Wrestlezone’s own Justin LaBar noted moments ago via Twitter that a fight broke out in the WWE locker room during the ongoing international tour. We are hearing from multiple sources the scuffle involved veteran star Chris Jericho and Sin Cara, who would end up being a repeat offender in backstage incidents this year.

We reported back in July that Sin Cara got into it in catering at a WWE Smackdown television taping with Simon Gotch of the Vaudevillians tag team. Of course Jericho is no stranger to backstage drama, as it was widely noted that he and Brock Lesnar almost got into a brawl at WWE SummerSlam due to the confusion surrounding the finish of Lesnar’s match with Randy Orton, where he reportedly busted him open with legitimate, repeated forearm shots to the head.

While we don’t know exactly why the fight broke out, or who is at fault, this obvious doesn’t look good for Sin Cara. Getting away with a backstage incident with a newcomer like Gotch is a bit different than going at it with an active legend in a main event role on TV, that has support from virtually every name that matters backstage. The Raw brand will be in Glasgow, Scotland tomorrow followed by a Smackdown Live taping in the same city the following night.

Senior Director of Creative Writing Dave Lagana Leaves TNA

Dave Lagana, Senior Director of Creative Writing for TNA has issued the following statement, noting he has resigned from TNA:

“You’re always one decision away from a totally different life.”

— Mark Batterson

Five years ago I made the decision to join the TNA Impact Wrestling family. Over this time, I’ve experienced a lot in my life personally and professionally. Being a fan of professional wrestling for thirty years, I look back amazed at moments I’ve been a part of. Over my fifteen years of writing, producing and directing, I’ve been very lucky to work with every major talent in the history of the sport and learn from its brightest minds; Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman, Dusty Rhodes, Pat Patterson, Gerry Brisco, Shawn Michaels, Paul Levesque, Michael Hayes, Brian Gewirtz, Adam Pearce, Hunter Johnson, Matt Conway, Billy Corgan, Vince Russo, Eric Bischoff, Bruce Prichard, Jeff Jarrett, and Dutch Mantel. This group of professionals taught me many lessons and and helped shape my career. Lessons like passion can carry us through pain, disappointment and regret. Hard work, dedication and commitment to a craft can define a person’s journey and decisions.

Today I made the decision to leave TNA Impact Wrestling. A decision I do not make lightly but one I made to create a future that I control. In 2017, you need to look forward to 2020 and beyond. My focus now is on personal branding, technology and the wild west of storytelling available to all content creators today.

I want to thank everyone at TNA Impact Wrestling for giving me the opportunity to be the Senior Director of Creative Writing. Also I’d like to thank the talented and underappreciated television production crew and locker room. Getting to be collaborative with this group of men and women at every taping was an honor and a privilege. This is a creative business where stars are made one decision at a time. Believe and trust the process; success will follow.

I look forward to the future that we all create and that all starts right now.

See you down the road…

David Lagana

Rumor Mill - All-Women's Tournament Coming to WWE?

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the WWE is planning to host a NXT women's tournament, similar to the Cruiserweight Classic sometime during early 2017.

Meltzer says this tournament will be featured on the WWE network.

No word yet on how many wrestlers will be involved and if any international female talents have been contacted to compete in the first-time tournament.

Billy Corgan Reacts To TNA - Anthem Announcement, Says He Has Not Been Paid Yet

As noted earlier, Anthem Sports has entered into a credit relationship with TNA and Billy Corgan is no longer with the company. We have full details from today's announcement at this link.

Corgan took to Twitter and issued the following comments today:

FACT: TNA was supposed to pay me to 2 days ago, which they swore to in front of a judge. Yesterday they asked for a day to 'get $ together'

Upon which, (yesterday or today) they'd 'reach out directly' to settle ALL claims. So they lied again and have used the time as a weapon

FACT: I have still not been paid, and I'm exploring all remedies including new filings with court and converting to 36 pct. equity

Billy Corgan No Longer With TNA, Dixie Carter Effectively Out of Power, New TNA Relationship Announced

The following press release has been issued, announcing Anthem Sports & Entertainment will now be funding TNA:

Anthem Sports & Entertainment and Impact Ventures Announce Credit Relationship

Toronto, Canada (November 3, 2016) – Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. and Impact Ventures, parent company of TNA Impact Wrestling, today announced that Anthem has provided a credit facility to TNA to fund operations.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. is a global sports media company that operates Fight Network, Impact Wrestling’s exclusive broadcaster in Canada, as well as the exclusive worldwide digital streaming partner for all TNA programming. It is also an equity stakeholder of Impact Ventures.

The agreement includes the appointment of Anthem Executive Vice President Ed Nordholm to the Impact Ventures Board of Managers. The company will be managed by the Board with Mr. Nordholm representing the Board on all major operating and restructuring decisions. Dixie Carter will continue as Chair of the Company, as well as her position on the Board of Managers. Billy Corgan is no longer with the company.

“We have had a successful, long-term partnership with Fight Network as our Canadian broadcaster, and more recently as our global digital partner,” said Dixie Carter. “Anthem’s team has extensive media experience, and I am excited to have that available to us as we plan for the future.”

“We have consistently maintained that investing in content as we grow our distribution is important as a strategic necessity, and working more closely with a strong brand like TNA is in line with that. This financing is an extension of the support we have been providing since the beginning of the year,” said Leonard Asper, CEO of Anthem. “There are tremendous opportunities to support the company’s growth on all platforms and in all media along side Dixie and the incredible talent and staff at TNA.”

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What Did HHH And Stephanie Wear For Halloween?

It was revealed on ABC's "The Chew" yesterday that Stephanie McMahon and Triple H went as Black Widow and Deadpool for Halloween this year. Below is a photo of the WWE bosses in their costumes:

WWE Announces New Weekly Cruiserweight Series, Triple H Comments

WWE just announced the following:

205 Live premieres Nov. 29 on WWE Network

STAMFORD, Conn. — A one-hour, in-ring program called 205 Live, showcasing WWE's new Cruiserweight division, will premiere Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ET, exclusively on WWE Network. The live weekly show will be called by Mauro Ranallo, the voice of SmackDown LIVE, and Corey Graves, color commentator for Monday Night Raw.

Coming off the success of WWE Network's recent Cruiserweight Classic tournament and the formation of the new Cruiserweight division, which airs exclusively on Monday Night Raw, 205 Live will feature Superstars that are 205 pounds and under, including: new WWE Cruiserweight Champion The Brian Kendrick, as well as TJ Perkins, Rich Swann, Noam Dar, HoHo Lun, Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, Gran Metallik, Tozawa, Jack Gallagher, Gurv Sihra and Harv Sihra.

"205 Live is a natural progression to showcase the depth of our roster," said Paul "Triple H" Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. "With world-class talent such as Brian Kendrick, TJ Perkins, and Rich Swann, 205 Live will be a must-see program on WWE Network."

"With the addition of 205 Live to an already robust programming schedule, WWE continues to enhance the value of WWE Network for our subscribers," said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. "We take pride in listening to our fans and delivering even more live, premium content that they are asking for."

Video: Stephanie McMahon On ABC's "The Chew"

Above is full video from Stephanie McMahon's appearance on ABC's "The Chew" yesterday. She comes on at around the 12:00 mark. Stephanie talks Thanksgiving and Halloween traditions with the McMahon family and notes that they spend Thanksgiving at Shane McMahon's home in Amagansett, New York. Stephanie also helps host Michael Symon prepare a carrot dish for Thanksgiving. She also talks RAW and SmackDown, the Survivor Series pay-per-view, playing a heel, the women's division and more.

Hulk Hogan Reaches Settlement With Gawker Founder, News On How Much Hogan May Have Made

It sounds as though the ongoing legal turmoil between Hulk Hogan and Gawker has finally reached an end, according to an online statement from Gawker founder Nick Denton. Here's part of what he wrote:

"After four years of litigation funded by a billionaire with a grudge going back even further, a settlement has been reached. The saga is over."

The "billionaire with a grudge" to whom he refers is Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, who's had his share of differences with the media outlet in the past. As a reminder, a Florida Jury awarded Hogan $140.1 million dollars back in May after Thiel helped fund a defamation case against Denton. The official settlement figure has not been released, although the number $31 million kept popping up during initial court filings. In exchange for a vastly reduced payment to Hogan, Gawker must remove the original story, which doesn't sit well with Denton. He noted that the most "unpalatable" part of the settlement is being forced to remove the story from the web because it's a true story, whether it's "newsworthy" or not.

Regardless of the terms and conditions of the deal, both sides seem to be happy to be done with the situation as Hogan's lawyer, David Houston, said, "All parties have agreed it's time to move on."

TNA Issues Statement On Losing Major TV Deal, Blames Spoilers?

Challenge TV revealed that they will no longer air TNA in the United Kingdom starting in January 2017. The Challenge TV deal was one of the two biggest revenue streams for the company, with the other being their TV deal with Sony Six in India.

TNA issued the following statement regarding losing the deal, and appear to blame spoilers for the cancellation. It should be noted that spoilers have been leaking for TNA since Impact Wrestling first started airing in 2004. The Challenge TV deal started in 2011, and Challenge renewed TNA for three years in 2014.

Below is TNA's statement:

We are proud to have had such a great relationship with Challenge, and appreciate how the channel brought Impact Wrestling to our avid viewers through the years. In today's world, spoilers are inevitable. We've heard from the amazing fans in the UK and know you do not want to wait 3-5 days to watch the program after it airs in the US.

Our goal is to broadcast Impact Wrestling in the UK as close to the US premiere as possible. We look forward to announcing that opportunity soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, we hope you continue to watch Impact Wrestling on Challenge, Sunday nights at 9pm, as well as Xplosion and pay-per-views and follow us on social media. Thank you.

It should be noted that TNA could technically be dropped by Sony Six as well, since part of that deal was that they tour India once per year, which they haven't done.

Unique clothes, an obsession with Jordans and strong mic work pushing Enzo Amore forward in WWE

TNA Court Ruling, Who Will Be In Charge

Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle today ruled against Billy Corgan's request for a temporary injunction against TNA, which would have prevented the company from making major business decisions or sell the company without Corgan being involved in the decision. TNA can proceed to run the company without Corgan being involved.

Corgan will be paid back for the loans he made to the company, which are due tomorrow, November 1st. Corgan is effectively out of the picture, although he could still move forward with his lawsuit. Corgan had made three loans to the company, with the third one having a provision that would have granted him Carter's 92.5% voting rights. The judge ruled that the provision was unenforceable.

The company has until tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1st to repay Corgan's $1.8 million loan. Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., the parent company of the Fight Network, had previously agreed to repay Corgan, however were unwilling to pay a 50% corporate transaction fee, which would have been in the neighborhood of $900,000 of the $1.8 million loan. PWInsider noted that the court ruled that there is no reason for Corgan to be owed the transaction fee because there is no evidence on what has been filed so far that proves that there has been an acquisition of TNA and it's parent company. Corgan does have the option to convert that debt into a 36% ownership stake in the company, although that appears unlikely.

Assuming that Anthem repays Corgan, that would reportedly give them 85% control of the company, with Aroluxe having a 10% stake and Dixie Carter retaining 5%. Jason Brown of Aroluxe, who has been running the day-to-day operations of the company, is expected to take over as President. PWInsider had recently reported that with Anthem in charge, there would only be 3-4 television tapings per year.

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Gabe Sapolsky Talks Working Relationship With WWE, Triple H's Influence, Opportunities For Talents

Co-Founder and Vice President of EVOLVE and WWN Live, as well as former Ring of Honor booker, Gabe Sapolsky joined Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca to discuss EVOLVE's relationship with WWE, Triple H's influence in it, and much more. You can check out some highlights below:

The relationship between EVOLVE and WWE:

"The WWE has been a tremendous help to us and we still continue our relationship with them. It's important that we have this relationship with WWE, not just for the company but for the wrestlers as well and have that conduit for the wrestlers to go to WWE, and that's something they'll always have with WWN. We made sure our relationship there is healthy, they have William Regal coming to our show in Maryland on November 13th, and EVOLVE show, and we're gonna keep going. Hopefully you see these guys move on. Drew Gulak and Tony Neese, they're on RAW almost every Monday, and you're gonna see them at our upcoming events in Queens, New York.

"It's an unreal time where you see this talent going from our evolve shows, and then being on RAW, and then coming back, and then going to NXT, and then we're able to have a farewell for someone like Johnny Gargano like we had last month, and see all the hard work he put in and move on. The opportunity is there, WWE has made this such an exciting time for wrestling fans because of this, because you never know who's going to pop up where next. They've made it an exciting time for the wrestlers, and most importantly WWE has played a huge part in helping the overall health in professional wrestling, and making this work for everybody."

WWE having their finger on the pulse of pro wrestling's streaming service after the WWE Network and their financial backing of FloSlam:

"It's freaking crazy (chuckles). I'm still at the point -- it's been like this all year where I wake up everyday and I don't know what the next e-mail, or the next phone call, or the next text is going to bring. It's amazing because it's like limitless opportunity all over the place, and there is no telling what tomorrow is gonna bring. We'll just have to see what happens. Flo Sports and FlowSlam.TV is gonna have a very progressive attitude, and WWE has shown how much they respect and value the independents and the health of everything by everything they've done. This isn't something they're talking about, they have actually demonstrated it and shown it. I mean when you have Triple H showing up at one of our shows, that is unbelievable to me and that's what happened last January. I still can't believe it and we're ten months later. It's just one of those things where all of this crazy stuff is going on, and nobody really knows what's going to happen next."

Triple H's influence in their relationship with WWE:

"Yeah, Triple H is the man, I mean if you want to talk about a guy that is really right on the cutting edge, and sees the landscape, and has an understanding of where it's gonna develop and the vision of where it's gonna develop, that's Triple H. This thing has been very important to him, our House of EVOLVE has been very important to him, and he's backed up his words with actions. In turn hopefully they've benefited a little bit as far as this talent exchange goes, and we hope it continues. Most importantly I love seeing the talent get this opportunity. This is something that back in the ROH days I'd sit around and I saw these guys working their asses off and the sacrifices they made, and I sad down and said 'hopefully Bryan Danielson will be able to scratch out a living one day.' CM Punk, hopefully the same. Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, I go 'I hope it pays off for these guys, maybe they can go to Japan or something.' Now we see it really is paying off for these guys, and the fact that their future is limitless. Daniel Bryan, I know he's got the injury thing and everything, but it looks like he's got a job there for life doing various roles or whatever pops up. I just like seeing it pay off for everybody and hopefully it continues like this, and I don't see any reason why it won't."

Vince McMahon on Possibly Being Interested in Selling WWE: “We Are Open for Business”

Vince McMahon is currently participating in third quarter WWE earnings call, and during the call Vince was asked if he is interested in selling WWE.

Vince answered by saying the company is open to anything, but he stressed that controlling the company’s destiny is very important. He added he’s unsure how much control they would lose if they sold the company, but at the end of the day they are business people so they are open to listening to any offers, especially the kind “you can’t refuse.”

When asked again if he would be open to an offer that would allow him to sell WWE yet still control its destiny, Vince replied with “we are open for business.”

WWE's Third Quarter 2016 Earnings Call Recap With Vince McMahon And Other Executives

Former Rutgers Player Eric LeGrand Comments On Filming For ‘Mission Possible’ At WWE Headquarters, Meeting Triple H

Earlier today, Triple H and trainer Joe DeFranco noted on social media they filmed content for “Mission Possible”, a show featuring former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand.

LeGrand was paralyzed after a spinal cord injury on October 16th 2010, and is looking to share his motivational story with people and spoke to WWE.com. You can read a few excerpts below:

LeGrand talks about what his new show “Mission Possible” is about:

We did a piece up in New England with Tom Brady and Boston Marathon survivor and double-amputee Jami [Goldman Marseilles]. We got to roll that one out on “FOX NFL Sunday.” We’re doing other incredible stories, people we found that show they’re not letting their disability hold them back. They’re living their lives to the fullest. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s how I try to live my life.

Eric LeGrand talks about meeting Triple H:

Oh man, Triple H was awesome. Just hearing him speak a little bit about his career and about how we’re inspirations to him, that’s really cool. As a kid, you watch Triple H and almost see him as a supervillain. And now, as I’m older, just being able to have a conversation with him and for him to invite us to different events, that’s amazing.

LeGrand talks about what it was like visiting WWE headquarters:

Being a northeast guy, I’ve driven up I-95 so many times, and you pass by WWE Headquarters and you’re like, “Wow, I wonder what goes on in there.” Now, to actually be in there, it’s like a childhood dream to get a tour, to see where some of the people work, to see some of the championships, props and materials. Just hearing the lifestyles of what these guys have to do — being on the road 300 days of the year — it’s pretty crazy. So, being able to come to WWE’s headquarters and do this episode with Triple H is honestly an honor.

Billy Corgan - TNA Lawsuit Update

The Tennessean’s Nate Rau is present at the Billy Corgan / TNA Wrestling hearing today, and is live tweeting some notes about today’s events (events from Rau’s account are summarized below):

It was noted that Dixie Carter is present, however Corgan is represented by his attorney, Scott Sims.

Sims claims his client saved TNA Wrestling on three separate occasions. Sims claims Corgan and Carter entered a pledge agreement that included an insolvency cause, and that TNA misled Corgan about the company’s various debts. It was noted that proving both of these points is crucial to the lawsuit.

Corgan was named President of TNA, but excluded from management decisions, and there is no doubt TNA is insolvent. In regards to a transfer of ownership, TNA’s defense argues no deal making Corgan owner was approved, and Sims says they ‘basically have a pledge with a voting proxy.’

It is said by TNA that financial situation is the same as when Corgan signed his pledge agreement, but Sims says Corgan did not know how much debt TNA was in when he put up money to finance tapings. TNA says talents not being paid is due to the lawsuit, but Sims says it is untrue and TNA is insolvent, noting a 52% increase in liabilities since June, and argues total debts are likely higher.

Sims confirms WWE negotiations, saying there’s been no effort for TNA to assign a value to assets, including the TNA video library, and that WWE submitted a lower offer than their first one.

Sims says WWE’s offer is lower than Corgan’s estimate of TNA’s total liabilites. It is argued in defense that WWE and others may have offered to invest in TNA, but it does not prove the company is not insolvent. Rau notes Sims said Corgan is owed $1.8 million from Anthem, who owns the TNA video library license rights.

Anthem’s previous press release about funding TNA is referenced, noting Corgan’s debt would be paid, and Aroluxe’s Jason Brown would become new CEO. Sims says Carter made Corgan an offer to buy her out, then says she emailed WWE to say she won’t sell to them until Corgan is gone. This would conclude Sims’ argument, with TNA lawyers set to speak.

Chyna’s Mother Gains Control Of Her Daughter’s Estate

Pro Wrestling Sheet is reporting Janet LaQue, Joanie “Chyna” Laurer’s mother, will be taking control of her daughter’s estate to keep it from being run by a former manager.

LaQue sent Pro Wrestling Sheet a statement saying her court petition to seize control of the estate was approved, adding that this was a big deal for her. She said she is now starting the process of looking into the estate’s activities since Chyna’s death.

It was previously reported by Pro Wrestling Sheet that LaQue was requesting the case for her daughter’s death be reexamined, claiming former manager Anthony Anzaldo was not completely honest about details of the investigation, even claiming Chyna might have fired him before she had died.

Pro Wrestling Sheet says Anzaldo told them: “I’m not at war with Chyna’s mother. She should be the executor. I was just here, merely, to help when it was asked upon me.”